PeterJ asked what I thought the OKC rotation might be. I have been playing with that for about a week, so I thought I might step out and draw some conclusions. Just like LA, OKC is still a work in progress. Whichever LHSP does not make LA rotation will probably go down to OKC. Both Wood and Ryu are pitching well, but only one is going to make the rotation. If Ryu goes down it will need to be on the DL as he does not have any options. Wood has all 3 of his options remaining. In Mid-May Urias will also force another decision or two.
Another open question is what to do with Ross Stripling. He is a logical long man reliever, but the Dodgers still want him to stretch out and keep starting as an option. They know he can go to the pen and succeed, but he still has value as a starter. Non-roster RHRP relievers still in camp include Brandon Morrow and Yaisel Sierra (who went 2.2 IP yesterday). There is still one 40 man spot open. And then what to do with Chris Hatcher. They seem bound and determined to continue to give him chances. We will know more in 8 days. Right now there are too many questions regarding RHRP, and with the limited number of off days in April it seems logical that FAZ will want someone to go multiple innings, at least in April. So Stripling will probably start the year with LAD.
Therefore, the projected OKC starting rotation (IMO) to start should be:
- Alex Wood/Hyun-jin Ryu
- Trevor Oaks
- Brock Stewart
- Andrew Thurman (former Brave)
- Wilmer Font (former Ranger/Blue Jay) and/or Fabio Castillo (former Padre)
Some have speculated, and I would not be surprised to see Josh Sborz make the leap, but I just do not believe he needs to be pushed that fast. They have Thurman, Font, and Castillo so players do not need to be rushed. If not to start the season, it will not be long before he makes it to OKC. Madison Younginer and Patrick Schuster have both been former starters so they can be considered in an emergency start.
Stewart should start out the year on the DL, making his spot open, and maybe this is where Sborz can get a look. I can also see the benefit of switching Stripling and Wood during the year so they both stretch out and get innings as starters, but both are probably destined for the bullpen as Andrew Miller types (albeit not his caliber). Both should also increase their value for trade deadline consideration as well.
With the trades of Jharel Cotton, JDL, and Chase De Jong, ML ready back of the rotation pitchers are thinning out. The bulk of the prospects are down in A ball, but there are still enough ML ready to keep fueling LAD. Sborz is ready to make the leap to AAA, and I can see the Dodgers pushing Andrew Sopko later in the season to see what he can do as well. Two other Tulsa starters, Scott Barlow and Isaac Anderson, are probably not ready for AAA, but Barlow is close. However with organizational pitchers like Font, Thurman, and Castillo, there really is no rush. That is why they are signed; to give the players in the lower levels time to properly develop. There was an interesting article in MLB TradeRumors on this subject with Brian Cashman: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/new-york-yankees
- “In a Q&A with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that the franchise’s tendency to “cut corners” due to a constant need to contend has led to issues in developing starting pitchers. “Part of it is we can’t get out of our own way because we don’t have the patience to let guys finish off their development, because if you possess some unique ability that stands out above everybody else — whether it was Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, now [Luis] Severino and before that [Bryan] Mitchell and Shane Greene — we’re pulling them up before their development is finished.” The full interview is well worth a read in its entirety, as Cashman is very candid about such topics as his long career in the team’s front office, past and more recent transactions, and the Yankees’ current youth movement.”
There are probably 1-2 other older pitchers that will get released and pique the Dodgers interest so as to pick them up as insurance.
Just like any other Dodger projection, this too will change… probably before the sun goes down
Discussion (54)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Looks like Stewart is out until May 1st.
AC, great writing. Hope you’re going to pursue sports journalism career because more analysis like yours is certainly needed. what sources do you utilize for info? I really enjoy reading diverse opinions as we move through the season. Glad you are on-site.
MJ – you see Joc’s bunt to beat the shift? Just like we talked about in the last thread.
It is quite possible that the Dodger Brass may keep Buehler and/or White in extended Spring Training as well, so depending upon what is decided there, it could be a “trickle-down” (or trickle up) effect.
I guess I should have checked. Here’s where I saw SVS was out of options:
http://www.thinkbluela.com/2017/02/roster-moves-looming-for-dodgers/
I guess I should have read the comments.
MBB – Three of the final 8 from the SEC. Too bad South Carolina & Florida play each other on Sunday with one of them being sent home. What do you think of that Gamecock defense?
Good article. I don’t see anyway Wood goes down to AAA. I believe Ryu either pushes him to the pen or Ryu continues to stretch out at AAA.
It seems like the Dodgers have taken the approach of letting guys start as long as they’re having success so it will be interesting to see what they do Sborz who’s future seems to be in the pen.
AC, just to clarify I meant by going nowhere is they will not be dealt to another team as they will be needed throughout the season. They both can start or relieve and last year they used 10 starters during the course of the season. They also have options so can be sent down as needed, but will mostly be up. Ryu is the key in my opinion.
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Good comments by all on the UCLA game. It was a winnable game with the right adjustments that were never made.
Great post as always, Always.
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A few weeks ago I read an article that said Oaks and De Jong were working on a new pitch that if perfected would make them better than a 4 or 5 spot in a rotation. Not to say they would be Maddux like, but who knows?
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For some reason I have always thought Stripling could be used like Miller and maybe have the same success but until Always said that Wood was much better the first two times through a lineup than he was a third time, I hadn’t thought about Wood also being a Miller type.
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I haven’t found anybody to agree with me yet but I have always wondered why pitchers that either need to keep their innings count down or have trouble getting past the 5th inning aren’t paired. One pitcher goes 4 innings and then gives way to his paired pitcher to pitch 4 innings. They would both warm up as if they were starting a game, albeit one for the first inning and the other for the 5th inning.
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In order for the second pitcher to come into the game in a way that mimicked coming in as a starter, a short inning relief pitcher could pitch in-between as needed. Stripling and Wood could be paired. Urias/Ryu and McCarthy could be a match.
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Kershaw, Maeda, Oaks, and Sewart are ready to try to go 7 innings.
I think Segedin might be the bridge to Bellinger. That guy can hit. With power. Right now, he is on the team over SVS. I like SVS, but Segedin has some ceiling left, with none for SVS. No way should the team lose him. He could be VERY good. If he can play the outfield, I’d take him over Puig/Thompson.
Ok, haven’t heard Hatchet before, that ‘s a good one Mark. And Boxout, I had no idea he was that old. I thought he was in his mid 20’s. Dang, that is getting up there for a guy with one pitch. I trust FAZ, just hope they aren’t trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Are they still trying to get a return for Dee Gordon?
Hatchet has some photos of Friedman and Zaidi they do not want to get out.
Can someone PLEASE tell me what the infatuation is with Hatcher? Why is he still with us? Hey, real nice guy, but he has just killed us in blown leads and high leverage situations over the past two years, and early last season was like watching a kid play with matches next to a powder keg. The guy only has one pitch it seems, and that is a fast ball straight down the pipe. With all of our pitching options, why are we still hanging on to him? Is it contract or the radar gun?
Very insightful AC, well done!
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2 things stand out to me, Sborz was a 1st round pick out of college as a closer which might still be his eventual spot or set up man, which would get him to the majors faster and where I prefer him. Second, Wood and Stripling are going nowhere as the only other ML ready starter is Oaks. A few others are close to being ready but the Dodgers have moved all of the young pitching they are going to for now based on your OKC projected rotation.
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Guys to watch are obviously Buehler, White and Alvaraz as fast movers through the organization plus the health of Ryu and unleashing the Kraken that is Urias. Hill, Maeda and McCarthy have been brittle in the past so some depth in reserve will be needed for the long season.
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I was pulling for UCLA and they laid an egg last night. I was not impressed with the coaching as they stayed in a zone defense that was not working for far too long and did not slow the pace on offense and work inside to their bigs enough. Wild passes and silly turnovers and quick shots were not corrected during the game. They needed to be pulled over for driving 65 in a 35 mph zone. Ball and Leaf are one and dones and Bryce Alford graduates so at least 3 starters are gone from UCLA next year. The lack of depth in the rotation was exposed when one of the 6 key players fouled out early and played only 16 minutes and the 5 remaining were worn down near the end. However take nothing away from Kentucky as they played really really well, especially Cox. They shot the lights out, hustled all night, played well in transition, made their free throws and conducted themselves with poise and class-an extremely well coached team. In fact, Calipari was conducting a clinic and Steve Alford had a seat in the front row. I hope he was paying attention.
Great coverage, AC!
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Trevor Oaks is a guy I like a lot. He’s not a Top-of-the-Rotation guy but he could be a solid #4 or 5. He pitched over 150 innings last year and pitched at least 7 innings ten times! He keeps you in games. He had passed De Jong and Cotton as a starter, which is part of the reason they are gone. Of course it is early and there are certain circumstances which affect players, but he’s how they stack up this Spring:
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Oaks – 11 IP, 11 K, 2.38 ERA
De Jong – 11 IP, 4 K, 4.09 ERA
Cotton – 11 IP, 12 K, 6.55 ERA (he has walked 9)
JDL – 3.2 IP, 3 K, 17.18 ERA (He also pitched 2.2 innings in the WBC with 5 K’s)
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JDL has not pitched much this Spring, like maybe he is injured or something. He has been optioned to AAA and evidently will start the season in Durham.
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This is off-subject, but I wonder if Kazmir’s contract is insured? His velocity is severely limited by his lower back/hips – I wonder if the Dodgers will try and unload him that way?